Vicious - V.E. Schwab

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There was a point when I almost turned away from Vicious. Given the title and what had happened so far, I had a sickening feeling that it was about to devolve into a grimdark-style, twisted killing spree. Don't get me wrong, there's a high body count. But it didn't end up being hollow and bleak as I feared. Somehow there's enough humor and good that I felt there was hope - not a grimdark feature at all. The side characters and the cool powers really made the book, even though they didn't show up until about half way through. With a nail-biting showdown, in the end I actually enjoyed it. Perseverance can have its rewards sometimes!

The Red Lily Crown - Elizabeth Loupas

The Red Lily Crown: A Novel of Medici Florence by Elizabeth Loupas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are some parts of this that I enjoyed - the alchemy, the dogs, the relationship between the two main characters. But, it's a very brutal book. So many deaths. The sadistic prince's viewpoint was especially disturbing, and any revenge or happiness that is achieved comes at a very high cost. I'm afraid the brutality overshadows the book for me.

An Officer and a Spy - Robert Harris

An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An Officer and a Spy is a nail-biting espionage/legal thriller set in France at the turn of the 19th Century, and is slightly outside my comfort zone. I love Historical Fiction, but thrillers are... uncomfortable. They make me tense. I spend a lot of effort trying not to be anxious in real life, so to chase that feeling purposely is maybe a bit silly. I have to knock off a star because "enjoyment" isn't a word I can use in relation to such emotions.

That said, this is a fantastically written story that probably actually deserves 5 stars if I could get beyond my emotional response to it. What horrifies me the most is that it's a true story. Reality can truly be more cruel than fiction. I felt the despair, the sense of being stamped out by a government for knowing the wrong information, and the outrage at crimes uncovered and injustices committed. Great stuff. I recommend it if historical spy thrillers are your thing. And even if they're not.

Child of Flame - Kate Elliott

Child of Flame by Kate Elliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A rich and vibrant world, fascinating peoples, creatures, histories, religions, magics, and wonderfully nuanced characters... I'm loving this series, even as I'm wishing for a faster pace. It's truly epic and detailed in its sprawl, which at times means it drags.

I'm realizing that I have to take breaks in my reading so I can continue to enjoy the world without growing too impatient. When I start willing it to go faster, I take a break and read something else. Then at other times, I fail to notice the hours flying by.

This is really a series to be savored. With its scope and the weight of each installment, it simply won't allow you to rush through. So far, the end of each book has been rewarding, and I miss the world and characters once I'm done. I guess I'm just going to be living there for a while.